Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Family By Choice ❯ chapter10 ( Chapter 10 )

Family By Choice

by Dragondreamer & Yami Dragon

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If we did, the boys would be running around naked all the time and we'd never get ANY work done.

Warning: This story contains shouenen-ai (guy/guy relationships) and yaoi (guys having sex with guys). It also contains coarse language and violence. If you don't like it, or become offended by such things, take off already!

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICT YAOI (MALE/MALE SEX)! DON'T LIKE IT? DON'T READ IT THEN!!

Note: /…/ Tristan's thoughts

[…] Joey's thoughts

{…} Seto's thoughts

[[…]]Yami's thought and mind link to Yugi

//…// Yugi's thoughts and mind link to Yami

{{…}} Otogi's thoughts

*…* Mokuba's thoughts

`yak, yak' Sadie's(AI) voice

~*~*~*~*~

DD: Oh, boy! It's gonna hit the fan here!

YD: And I managed to embarrass the HELL outta Tris too!

Joey: Go, Dragon!

~*~*~*~*~

{Tristan?} Seto let himself into the house.

/In the kitchen. Want some coffee?/

{Sure.} Seto walked into the living room, finding Lexi playing on the floor with her toys. "Hey, cute stuff."

"Set!" Lexi jumped up and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his leg. "Hey-doe!"

Seto ruffled her hair. "Are you helping Papa get all his work done?"

"Nah-ah." Lexi shook her head.

"How come?"

"Lexi dot titty!"

Seto blinked. "What?"

"Titty."

{Tris?}

A snicker came from the kitchen.

"Iz tum pity." Big, excited hazel eyes looked up. "Iz toft and wye an TOE pity! Set wan tee?"

"Ummm…" {Tristan, a little help here?} He could hear Tristan laughing in the next room. {Please tell me she not talking about what I THINK she's talking about.}

"Set wan tee titty?" Lexi asked again. "Iz da pity-est titty inda woo-ward!"

"Well…" Seto could feel Tristan getting weak with his laughter. {Get your ass out here and save me from your kid. NOW!}

Something touched his leg and he jumped, biting back a yelp. He looked down to see a small, white kitten curling around his ankle.

Lexi laughed at Seto's reaction and bent down, picking the animal up. "Tee, Set? Iz Lexi titty!"

{Tristan…you're a dead man.} He took the kitten as Lexi held it up to him, petting it. "Where'd you get it?"

"Ba-ra gabe." Lexi replied. "Iz a dirl titty."

"Mmhm." Seto headed for the kitchen, the kitten still in his hands and Lexi following.

He found Tristan leaning against the counter, still laughing, with tears running down his face.

"Oh, holy hell." Tristan wiped his eyes. "That was priceless."

"You must be thrilled about this." Seto remarked dryly, hefting the kitten in his palm.

"Papa no wike titty." Lexi said gravely.

Seto smirked. "I've know that for years, honey."

/Bite me./ Tristan rolled his eyes as his laughter died.

{You asked for it. You do realize I'm going to have to get you back for that.}

Tristan grinned wolfishly. /Bring it on, pal./

{Oh, really?} Seto raised an eyebrow. {You KNOW you wouldn't stand a chance.}

"Says you." Tristan turned to his daughter. "Take your cat and go play, baby girl."

"O-tay, Papa." Lexi took the kitten from Seto and went back into the living room.

"I suppose Bakura did that just to piss you off." Seto said.

"Probably." Tristan poured Seto a cup of coffee. "How come you didn't go into the office today?"

Seto shook his head, sighing. "Yugi roped me into helping him put up decorations in the dining room for tonight."

"Manual labor?" Tristan moved to the table and pulled out a chair. "Do you need to sit down?"

{Fuck you. You're such an asshole.}

Tristan grinned and dropped down into the chair. "What did you get Justin for his birthday?"

"I built him a kid sized duel disk." Seto sat down across from the other brunet. "Yami and Yugi put a deck together for him."

"He'll like that. We still have to do one for Lexi."

"I bought Mokuba that motorcycle he's been drooling over." Sad blue eyes met Tristan's and Seto bit his lip. "Tris…there's something going on with him. He's never home anymore. The only time I ever see him is when he comes to the office."

Tristan hesitated. He knew Mokuba was spending all his free time with Roger. It was only natural. He couldn't say anything though. Mokuba had told him and Joey that he would tell everyone tonight; when Roger and his mother were there to celebrate his and Justin's birthdays.

"He's growing up, pal." Tristan reached for Seto's hand. "And you have to let him."

Seto sighed, squeezing the hand in his. "I know. But I don't like it."

/It'll be okay, Seto./

Seto was silent for a few minutes, his mind a jumble of thoughts. When he looked back up at Tristan, there were tears lurking in the corners of his eyes. "Do you think it will? Be okay, I mean?"

"Of course it will. Mokuba loves you, pal. You're his brother…the only blood family he's got."

Seto nodded, reassured by his friend's words. "Let's take Lexi and go over to my place. There's something I want to show you."

~*~*~*~*~

"I hear you didn't have a very good night last night." Joey dropped down on the couch in his office next to Josh, looking worried. "Want to talk about it?"

Tired green eyes, dark shadows circling them, looked up at Joey. "I can't do this, Joey. It's too hard."

"You're craving, aren't you?"

Josh nodded. "It hurts. Gods, Joey…I can't stand it! I need to get out of here!"

"And what would that accomplish?" The blond asked. "You're doing good, buddy. You haven't even been here two weeks and you've come a long way."

"You don't understand."

Joey looked into those bleak, bloodshot eyes. They were devoid of hope and it hurt to look at them.

The time had come.

"Don't I? You're not the only one sitting here that doesn't have to deal with all the shit that goes along with kicking a drug habit."

"What?!"

Joey unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt and rolled up the sleeve. "About seven months ago, Tristan brought me here. I didn't come willingly. He and Seto tricked me into it. I was hooked on heroin. Nothing mattered to me but my next fix. Not the support of my friends, not how much Tristan loved me or how much I was hurting him…nothing."

Josh frowned, looking at Joey's arm. The skin surrounding the inside of his elbow was slightly darker than the golden tan covering the rest of his arm. There were small, shiny scars dotting the flesh.

"You're…you're an addict too?" Josh shook his head.

"That's not the half of it." Joey pulled down his sleeve. "This isn't the first time for me. I was your age the last time. And it was cocaine for me too. Tristan put me in the hospital that time, but I fought it. I didn't want to be helped."

"You and Tristan have been together a long time, huh?" Josh asked quietly.

"We grew up together." Joey replied. "We were always friends, even before we feel in love with each other."

Tears welled up in Josh's eyes. "I wish someone cared about me like that."

"Your family cares about you."

A hard shudder tore through the teen and a panicky look entered his eyes.

"Josh?" Joey cautiously reached out; afraid the boy was having a flashback. "Josh, look at me."

"They don't care." Josh whispered, his voice choked. "I tried to tell them…but they wouldn't listen. They wouldn't listen, Joey. They said I was lying."

"Lying about what?"

Josh shook his head. "They told me not to tell anyone."

["They"? Why do I get the feeling he's talking about his parents?} Joey put a tentative arm around Josh's shoulders, the first real, physical contact he had had with the boy. "Josh, if you're not ready to talk about it, that's okay. But I want you to know you can tell me. I'll be here when you need me."

Josh turned and burrowed into Joey's shoulder. Joey's other arm came up and he brought the crying teen into a gentle hug. Part of him was glad Josh was allowing him to do this. It was a sure sign Josh was beginning to trust him. The other part was crying along with him, wishing he would talk.

[I need to talk to his parents. But I can't do that until he opens up and talks to me. I need to know how they're connected to this and Josh is the only one who can tell me that.]

Joey looked down at the boy in his arms, noticing that his sobs had subsided. He was asleep.

[Poor kid. Exhausted to begin with…and this didn't help.] Joey eased out from underneath him, laying him down on the couch.

Joey went over to his desk, pulling his jacket off the back of the chair and bringing it back over, covering Josh with it. Returning to his desk, he sat down and opened Josh's file, going over his notes from pervious meetings.

[There's absolutely nothing here that even HINTS at what's going on.] Joey looked toward the couch as Josh stirred. [Come on, Josh. Talk to me.]

Joey picked up his pen with a small sigh and began writing his notes on this session, glancing up at his young charge from time to time.

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan and Seto sent Lexi off to play with Justin and went out into the backyard after Seto got his deck and dueling disk.

"What did you want to show me?" Tristan asked, watching as Seto activated the disk and launched the holo-emitters.

"This." Seto set his Blue Eyes on his disk and the dragon appeared in front of him.

"Oh, wow." Tristan stepped in front of the duel monster, looking up at it. "That's incredible, Seto."

It looked almost solid, with none of the slight wavering of the outer lines the monsters usually had. He could swear he saw the sun glinting off it's claws.

It lowered it's head and Tristan could feel it's breath, warm against his face as a low, rumbling purr came from it's throat. He resisted the urge to reach out and pet it as it brought it's head closer to his body.

He suddenly found himself flat on his back as the dragon nudged him with it's muzzle.

"Holy shit!" Tristan sat up, rubbing the sore spot on his chest.

Seto chuckled, walking up to his dragon and running an affectionate hand over it's head. "Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad?!" Tristan climbed to his feet, reaching up to touch the Blue Eyes. "It's frigging amazing!"

"I've only got this little beast done so far." Seto smiled as the dragon gently rubbed it's head against his shoulder. "It took me close to seventy hours. I'm working on an interactive program with the Dark Magician. That shouldn't take that long now that I have the prototype complete."

"Prototype?"

"Yeah, come on. I'll show you." Seto gave his favorite monster one last pat before turning off his disk.

Tristan followed Seto back into the house and into the den. "Seventy hours?! Gods, man! Aren't you sleeping?"

"Of course I am." Seto took his disk and set it on the coffee table. "Ready to see the prototype?"

`I take offence to that, Seto.'

Tristan nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of a familiar voice coming from directly behind him. He spun around, eyes widening at the sight of a small woman, maybe Yami's height, with pale skin, black hair and black eyes. She was extremely feminine, not to mention voluptuous, and she was dressed in black pants and a tight white tee shirt.

"Sadie?!"

`In the flesh…so to speak.'

"Are…are you..?"

Sadie held out her hand, smiling as Tristan took it.

"Gods." Tristan whispered. The hand in his was cool and firm, with a slightly metallic feeling to it. "This is…ummm…interesting."

"I've wired emitters in here and the kitchen so far." Seto grinned at the dumbstruck look on Tristan's face. "Tom's bringing his team over next week to do the rest of the public rooms and the kid's rooms."

"The kid's room?" Tristan turned to Seto, still holding Sadie's hand. "Why?"

`Just in case they wake up in the middle of the night or something. I'll only be there if I'm needed.' Sadie replied. `Tristan? May I have my hand back now?'

"Oh! Sorry!" Tristan dropped her hand.

Sadie suddenly cocked her head to one side. `Ryou is on the phone, Seto. He wants to talk to you.'

Seto went to the desk to take the call and Tristan turned back to Sadie.

"This is so weird." Tristan looked her up and down, feeling a little nervous.

`I'm very pleased.' Sadie looked down at herself then back up at Tristan, turning sideways. `Though I think my breasts are a little large considering my height, don't you?'

"Ummm…" Tristan blushed. "I-I guess."

Seto came back over; raising an eyebrow at Tristan's reddened face. "What's wrong with you?"

`Seto,' Sadie cupped her hands under her breasts, lifting them. `These are too big. Tristan concurs. Do you think you could make them smaller?'

"Excuse me." Tristan mumbled and swiftly left the room.

`Oh, dear.' Sadie turned to face Seto. `Did I do something to upset him?'

{Yugi obviously missed this topic during their discussions.} "It's not that. Tristan…well…he doesn't find women attractive."

`I don't understand. Please explain.'

"Tristan's gay."

`I know that. Does he find women's forms repulsive?'

"Let's just say that the thought of a naked woman makes him…"

`Embarrassed?'

Seto grinned. "More like nauseous."

`But,' Sadie frowned. `Yugi said he was a "class A flirt". I researched it and found some security video of him eight months, two weeks and three days ago and he was surrounded by women and he was DEINATELY enjoying himself.'

"That's different." Seto explained. "He was the instigator. Plus, they were all older women. AND they weren't asking him if he thought their breasts were too large."

`I still don't understand.'

Seto shook his head. "Listen, Sadie, talk to Yugi about it. I have to go make sure he's okay."

Sadie sighed. `Alright. Please apologize to him for me, and tell him I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable by asking him to look at my breasts.'

"I'll be sure to tell him." Seto chuckled, leaving the room.

~*~*~*~*~

"Mo, what are you doing?" Roger asked as Mokuba led him down through a trapdoor buried in the grass.

"Shh," Mokuba eased the door shut behind them. "Follow me."

The two teens had left school early due to the fact they had the last two periods free. Mokuba had decided that they should go to his house instead of Roger's.

Reaching the end of the short corridor, Mokuba cracked open the door. The hallway beyond was empty.

"Come on." Mokuba pulled Roger by the hand. "Hurry."

Roger went along willingly, soon finding himself in the control room. He had only been in here once before, two years ago when Mokuba was helping him with a school project.

`Hello, Mokuba.' A woman's face appeared on the central screen.

"Hey, Sadie." Mokuba responded. "Is Seto home?"

`He is. He and Tristan are upstairs in Seto's office.'

"Perfect. Don't let him know I'm home, okay?"

`Very well.'

"If you don't mind, Sadie, we'd like some privacy."

`Certainly, Mokuba.' The screen went blank.

Mokuba turned to Roger with a smile and pushed him down into one of the high-backed leather chairs. "Give me a minute, love. I've got to take care of a couple of things and then there's something I want to show you."

Roger nodded, watching as Mokuba turned away from him, leaning over the console. He felt his heartbeat kick up a notch as he admired his lover's lean body and clear profile, illuminated by the computer screen.

"What are you doing?" Roger asked, noticing the other boy frowning in concentration.

"I'm over-riding the protocols to make sure no one can unlock the door." Mokuba turned his head slightly to look at Roger. "And this." He hit a single button and the lights dimmed to a soft glow. "Much better."

Roger raised and eyebrow as Mokuba came back to him, climbing onto the chair. He straddled Roger's lap, resting on his knees, and reached out, combing his fingers through his love's silky hair, smiling seductively as he slowed the long strands to slip through his fingers.

"What was it you wanted to show me?" Roger smiled back, his hands smoothing up the backs of Mokuba's thighs.

"Just this." Mokuba's hands went to the hem of his shirt and he pulled it over his head. He freed the elastic from his ponytail and his hair tumbled around his shoulders.

He smiled as Roger reached up to run his hands over his shoulders, toying with the shaggy locks. His self-consciousness over his body had faded to almost non-existence in the light of Roger's love. And it certainly didn't hurt that Roger told him how beautiful he was a few dozen times a day.

"Definitely worth seeing." Roger smiled, drawing Mokuba down and kissing him deeply.

"I want you." Mokuba whispered as their lips parted.

"Here?" Roger looked surprised.

"Why not?" Mokuba shrugged. "It seems to be Seto and Yugi's favorite place. I always wondered what the fascination was." Mokuba stood and swiftly removed the rest of his clothes, running his hands over his body. "Don't you want me?"

Roger's felt his pants becoming WAY too tight at his lover's bold, unexpected move. "Gods, baby."

Mokuba grasped Roger's hands and pulled him out of the chair. He began to draw the clothes from his lover's body, running lips, tongue and teeth over the smooth flesh as it was exposed.

Finally freeing Roger of the irritating cloth barriers, Mokuba pushed him back down into the chair, turning it around and shoving it back against the console.

He dropped to his knees and pinned Roger down with his hands on the blue eyed boy's hips. "Now you can't get away from me."

"Who says I…" Roger's retort was cut off by a deep moan as his dark eyed lover lowered his head, taking his arousal into his mouth. "Mokuba…"

Mokuba whimpered. He loved the sound of his name on Roger's lips when they made love. The simple syllables became something more, spoken like it was the most sacred word in existence.

Mokuba took Roger's length deep, forcing off his gag reflex. Since the first time, he couldn't get enough of this. He had quickly become expert, and he loved the way he could make his lover writhe and moan.

Mokuba felt Roger sink his hands into his hair as he began to thrust up, the salty flavor heralding his imminent release.

"Baby…" Roger groaned, his fingers digging into Mokuba's scalp. "Please…Mo, please!"

Mokuba sucked hard, moaning as he felt the flesh against his tongue throb and the taste of the other filled his senses.

He finally lifted his head, glazed grey eyes taking in his lover's form, limp against the chair, the lean, sweat covered chest heaving.

Mokuba rose, straddling Roger once more and cupping the flushed face between his hands. Ice blue orbs slowly opened and Roger smiled at him. Mokuba leaned down, pressing their lips together softly.

"I love you." Roger whispered against the feather light touch.

"And I love you." Mokuba moved back, looking into Roger's eyes. "I can't imagine my life without you. I don't care what anyone says tonight. I belong with you. I won't let anyone tell me different. I don't know how I survived so long without you, Roger."

"You always had me, baby." Roger replied softly.

Mokuba's hands traveled the smooth muscle of Roger's body, stroking lightly, teasingly, rousing him again. Roger responded passionately, moaning as he leaned forward to capture a small, hard nipple between his lips.

"Mmm…Rog…gods!" Mokuba squirmed under the treatment. "Take me."

Roger moved back, the ice blue eyes warm and filled with want. "We don't have anything for me to prepare you with."

Mokuba reached out, pulling open a small drawer located under the console. He fished around for a minute and came up with a tube of lubricant. He handed it to Roger with a small smile.

"How did you know that was there?" Roger asked, surprised.

Mokuba shrugged. "This is my brother's house. I've been finding it stashed all over the place since I was twelve."

Roger snickered.

"Bakura doesn't call Yugi sex-crazed for nothing." Mokuba commented with another small shrug. He looked at Roger, a little pout forming. "Are you going to make love to me, or what?"

Roger hooked a hand into his lover's hair and pulled him against his chest. "You're shameless."

"I know." Mokuba grinned. "I want you inside me."

"Oh, gods." Roger moaned, wrapping his arms around Mokuba and kissing him desperately.

He tried to keep his wits about him as Mokuba moved against him, rubbing their arousals together. He pried the lid off the tube still in his hand and squeezed some of the contents onto his fingers. Breaking the kiss, he looked deeply into Mokuba's eyes as he carefully slid a finger into him.

Mokuba whimpered and his eyes closed, his head dropping back as he fought not to tense up.

"Shh, baby. Relax." Roger soothed him, moving to kiss the pale column of his neck.

Mokuba shuddered hard and forced the tension from his body, allowing Roger into add another finger.

"Come on, Mo. You've got to relax." Roger said as Mokuba tensed again.

"I'm okay." Mokuba gasped. "Just do it, love."

"Mokuba…"

"Please!" Mokuba begged, thrusting against the other's hand. "It'll be better once you're inside me. The pain'll go, just like it always does. I want you. Please, Roger."

Roger took Mokuba's lips in another deep, mind-blowing kiss, distracting him while he continued to prepare him. Having done what he could, removed his fingers and squeezed more lubricant into his hand, using it to coat his arousal.

Mokuba took a deep breath and pressed down, his fingers digging painfully into Roger's shoulders as his lover penetrated him. Roger held him gently, letting him go at his own pace, moaning softly as he became completely buried inside the other boy.

Mokuba rested his forehead against Roger's, waiting for the pain to fade. After several minutes it did, and he lifted his head, smiling reassuringly.

"Okay, baby?" Roger's worried eyes met Mokuba's.

"More than okay." Mokuba kissed Roger's lips briefly. "I love you."

"I love you." Roger whispered, pulling Mokuba close as he began to move.

Roger gently caressed Mokuba's back, holding his eyes, and Mokuba rapidly found himself become lost in the pale depths. He began to move more quickly, his breathing deepening and becoming ragged.

Roger's hands closed over Mokuba's hips and he pushed him back slightly, causing Mokuba to moan as his prostate was struck dead on.

"Rog...please..." Mokuba whimpered, riding him harder.

Roger wrapped his fingers around his grey eyed lover's erection, pumping him hard. "Come, Mokuba."

"No." Mokuba shook his head, his hair whipping around his face. "Want to...feel you come...oh, love...please...I-I need...oh, GODS!"

Mokuba lost control, his body going taut as his release spilled over Roger's fist and onto their stomachs. He fought to keep going, to bring his lover to completion, but he couldn't. He fell limp against Roger, gasping for breath.

He felt Roger kiss his cheek and he lifted his head from the other's shoulder. He could feel his lover, still hard and hot, deep inside him, and he moaned loudly. He wrapped his arms around Roger's neck, kissing him deeply and beginning to move once again.

He became aware of Roger's hand, slick with his release, stroking his member back to life and a bolt of desire raced up his spine, loosing another moan from him.

"Roger...yes...oh, gods yes!"

His previous exhaustion forgotten, Mokuba slammed down on the other boy, feeling the pleasure reaching out to claim him again.

Roger's lips attached themselves to Mokuba's collarbone and he sucked hard, bringing warmth to the surface. He began to thrust up hard, feeling his climax approaching.

"Come on, Mo." He groaned against the sweat-damp flesh. "Come for me...come for me again, baby."

"Rog..." Mokuba gasped, fisting his hands into the silky, black hair as he was thrust to the edge by the other's husky command.

"I want to hear you scream, Mokuba." Roger demanded.

He was so close, teetering on the edge, needing one thing to plunge him into the abyss. His name, torn from his lover's throat as he screamed his pleasure.

He got his wish.

Mokuba threw his head back, screaming his love's name as his body convulsed, his pleasure doubled as he felt Roger release deep inside him.

They collapsed, holding onto each other weakly. Tender whispers and ragged breaths were the only sounds heard as they basked in their love for each other...completely unaware of the confrontation going on, on the other side of the locked door.

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan ran down the steps, drawn forward by the feelings of blind rage coming from Seto.

He had gone to check on the kids while Seto went down to the music room in search of some music for Ryou. Not five minutes after they parted, Tristan felt shock and utter disbelief that quickly turned into a deep burning anger.

/Seto! What's wrong?!/ Tristan burst into the hallway, almost colliding with Seto, who was standing outside the control room.

He opened his mouth to speak when two obviously masculine, pleasure filled moans drifted through the door.

Seto growled, punching in his security code. The door didn't open.

"Seto, don't." Tristan reached out and grabbed his friend by the arm.

Seto shook him off. "Sadie..."

'There's nothing I can do, Seto. The protocols have been over-ridden.'

/Seto, you are NOT going in there!/

"Who's in there with him, Sadie?"

'Well...'

A scream of pleasure came from the other side of the door. A scream that had a name attached to it, giving Seto his answer.

"That little son of a bitch." Seto opened the security panel with the intention of rewiring the entire system if he had to.

/Seto, stop it./ Tristan grabbed him by the arm again. /You're being completely irrational./

{Fuck rational! I'm going to kill them both!}

/This is exactly why he didn't want to tell you what's going on in his life./

{You knew?!}

Tristan felt his temper flare. {Of course I knew! Joey does too! Who the hell ELSE was he supposed to go to with you being such a prick?!/

{Fuck you, Tristan!} Seto shoved Tristan away from him roughly. {You have NO RIGHT keeping something like this from me!}

/This is WHY we kept it from you, you idiot! He wanted to tell you himself! It wasn't our place to say anything!/

"Fine." Seto's eyes grew cold. "He can tell me himself. And then I'm putting a stop to it."

"Don't do this." Tristan reached out to him. "Seto...they love each other."

Seto pushed past Tristan without replying, heading for the stairs, his anger almost tangible.

"Damn." Tristan slumped against the wall.

He was going to have to talk to Mokuba. He knew Seto was going to be upet, but he hadn't expected him to react so violently.

What he couldn't understand was why.

~*~*~*~*~

"Let's talk to them now." Joey said. "I just hope Seto doesn't make a scene in front of the kids."

"He'd better not. I'll kick his ass if he does." Tristan replied. "Come on. They're upstairs."

Tristan led Joey back into the mansion, leaving everyone else outside.

The minute Joey had shown up, Tristan had pulled him aside and told him what happened. He hadn't been able to get Seto to talk to him. The other brunet had locked himself in his office and had even gone so far as to block his thoughts and feelings from Tristan. But not before Tristan had felt the conflicting emotions brewing under his friend's anger. Love, worry, and most puzzling to Tristan, fear.

"He's hiding something from me, Joey." Tristan stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to his husband. "Why would he be so afraid? And I've never seen Seto so mad."

"You of all people should know that's how Seto deals with fear, Tris." Joey reached for Tristan's hand, seeing the worry in the hazel eyes. "He won't let it show. Not in a situation like this."

Tristan just shook his head with a sigh and continued down the hallway to Mokuba's room. He knocked on the door, waiting for permission to enter before going in.

Joey couldn't help but grin at the forced casualness of the two boys. Roger was sitting on Mokuba's bed, a textbook in his hands and his face all flushed. Mokuba was sitting at his desk in front of the computer, trying to make it look like he had been studying. His kiss-swollen lips gave him away though.

Both teens relaxed when they saw who it was.

"Dinner ready?" Mokuba asked, getting up and going to sit next to his lover.

"Not yet." Joey dropped down on the bed as well, looking to Tristan, who was leaning against the bedpost, his arms crossed over his chest. "We need to talk to you."

"About..?"

"Seto knows." Tristan met Mokuba's eyes directly. "He heard you...in the control room."

Roger reached for Mokuba's hand. "How did he take it?"

"Not well." Tristan sighed. "Pretty bad, actually. But...there's something else. There's a reason he's acting this way, but I don't know what it is."

"Can't you...go into his mind or something?" Roger asked. He knew about the yamis and hikaris, but he didn't really understand how it worked with Tristan and Seto.

Tristan shook his head. "It's not like that with us. Unless he's think about it in words or images, all I can get is his feelings."

"Oh." Roger frowned. "Then what' he feeling...besides angry?"

Tristan shook his head again. He wasn't about to tell them Seto was afraid.

"Listen," Joey interjected. "You have our support on this. I don't know why Seto's acting the way he is, but I'm sure he'll come around."

Mokuba looked at Joey, doubt in hi eyes. "I hope so."

~*~*~*~*~

If he didn't know better, he'd never think that anything was wrong.

Tristan watched Seto as the taller brunet made conversation with Rachael.

Seto had mostly busied himself with Matthew during dinner. Just as they were finishing, the youngest of the Kaiba clan had throw up all over his father and Seto had to leave to change his shirt. By the time he came back, everyone had retreated to the den and, with the amount of people there, he had been able to avoid direct contact with both his brother and Roger.

Tristan looked down at Matthew, who was sitting in his lap, chewing on a rattle. "Your father's a stubborn mule, kiddo."

Matthew giggled and drooled on himself.

Conversation dropped off suddenly as everyone noticed Justin slowly approaching Bakura, who sat on the floor with Lexi in his lap.

Bakura looked up, seeing that Justin had a piece of the chess set that he and Ryou had given him clutched in his hand.

"Umm..." Justin stopped in front of Bakura. "Thanks for...umm...the...ah, the chess set."

"You're welcome." Bakura said quietly. "Maybe we can play sometime."

Justin's eyes widened and he backed up a step. "Umm..."

"Ba-ra no wan pay tess a Jut-in." Lexi said, looking up at her white haired uncle. "Jut-in tick Ba-ra az."

"Alexis Wheeler," Joey said, trying to sound stern and not laugh. "Watch your language."

"Torry, Da-ee." Lexi said contritely. That lasted less than a second. "Jut-in would doe."

Justin grinned at Bakura, much to the yami's shock. "Maybe we can play later, Uncle...Tomb Robber."

Joey snickered and nudged Otogi, calling the other man's attention to the dumbstruck look on Bakura's face.

"Roger," Rachael said to her son. "Didn't you say you had something special for Mokuba?"

Roger looked at his lover, who was sitting next to him on the couch. Mokuba still hadn't said anything, obviously fearful of his brother's reaction. They knew Seto wasn't going to react well and there was no sense in delaying the inevitable.

Everyone's interest was caught and they watched as Roger dug into his pocket. He came up with a plain ring made of dull metal. He took Mokuba's hand and slid the ring onto his finger.

"I love you, Mo." Roger said, leaning forward and kissing him.

Silence reigned.

"Mokuba?" Came Ryou's tentative voice.

Mokuba cut a glance at Seto, seeing the sapphire eyes narrowed in a "don't you dare" look. The grey eyed teen's jaw firmed and he turned his back on his brother.

He lifted Roger's hand to his lips. "I love you too."

Everyone began talking at once, congratulating the two teens. Tristan was the only one who noticed Seto's silent departure.

He tried to reach out to him, only to find his friend was still blocking him. He decided against going after him, hoping that if he left him alone, he would calm down and come back on his own.

"That's an interesting ring." Yugi said, sitting down on Mokuba's other side and lifting his brother-in-law's hand to look at it.

"It's made of titanium. It belonged to my grandfather" Roger met Rachael's eyes. "It was the only thing that survived the fire."

"My parents were killed when their house burned down." Rachael explained. "Roger was only four. I gave him that ring when he turned sixteen."

Roger bit his lip. "You...you don't mind, do you, Mom?"

"No, sweetheart. I don't." Rachael smiled. "I had a feeling that it would end up on Mokuba's finger."

"You knew?"

"Of course I did." Rachael reached out and caressed her son's cheek. "I've always known how much you love him."

"Does it mean what I think it means?" Otogi asked.

"Well...no. Not really." Roger turned to Mokuba. "It's...well...I just wanted you to have a reminder of how much I love you...how much I've always loved you. I'll always be here for you, Mokuba. And no matter what...I'll always love you."

Joey's eyes met Tristan's and he reached for his left hand with his right, twisting his ring around on his finger.

What Roger had just said...it was almost exactly the same thing Tristan had said to him when he had placed the amber studded band on his finger the first time.

Tristan handed the baby to Ryou and stood, going over to Joey. He put his arm around his husband and bent to kiss him. Neither one of them saw the sad look that entered Otogi's eyes at their display of affection.

"Looks like history's repeating itself." Joey whispered, smiling.

"Where's Seto?" Yami asked, looking around and calling everyone's attention to the missing brunet.

'He went outside.' Sadie suddenly appeared, standing next to Tristan.

Tristan jumped. "Sadie!"

'Sorry.'

"Don't DO that!"

Sadie rolled her eyes. 'I said I was sorry.'

"I'd better go talk to him." Mokuba rose from the couch.

"I'll come with you." Roger said.

"No, love." Mokuba stopped him. "I need to do this alone."

Roger looked uncertain, but nodded. Mokuba leaned down and kissed him, giving him a small smiled and leaving.

"Seto's not happy about this, is he?" Yugi looked to Tristan.

"No, he's not." Tristan replied.

Rachael opened her mouth to ask why, but stopped at a look from Roger that clearly said he'd tell her later.

'Tristan,' Sadie claimed his attention. 'Seto fixed my breasts. I hope they don't upset you anymore. He made them smaller.'

Joey chuckled as Tristan flushed.

"What's breasts?" Justin asked.

'These are breasts.' Sadie said, her hands cupping them, lifting them slightly.

"How come you have them?"

"Because Sadie's a girl." Rachael explained and then, unable to help teasing Tristan further, pointed to her own chest. "I have them too."

"You okay there, slim?" Bakura grinned wolfishly, noticing Tristan's increasing discomfort.

"Lexi, check and see if Bakura has any." Yami said, ignoring Bakura's growl.

Lexi immediately placed her little hands on Bakura's chest. "Nope. Ba-ra no 'ave bests." She pulled up her shirt and looked at herself. "Lexi dirl. No bests. Ow tum?"

Joey snickered, barely keeping his amusement under control, wondering who they were going to lose first...Otogi to laughter or Tristan to embarrassment. "Only grown up girls have them, honey."

"Lexi wan bests now!" The child demanded.

"You'll have to wait nine or ten years, Lexi." Yugi told her, grinning at Tristan.

"Gods!" Tristan groaned. "Enough already! I DON'T want to have this conversation!"

"She's going to grow up on you at some point, Tristan." Yami said.

"Listen, you guys..." Tristan's retort was cut off as his whole body jerked and he clenched his eyes shut, hissing.

"Tris?" Joey grabbed him by the arms. "Are you okay?"

"Seto..." Tristan opened his eyes.

"Gods...Tris..." Joey whispered, shocked to find himself looking into azure eyes.

"I have to find Seto." Tristan pushed away, heading for the door. "Everyone stay here."

~*~*~*~*~

Bakura: Why are you being such an ass, rich boy?

Seto: *scowls* I have my reasons.

Ryou: I can't believe you left it there!!

YD: *scowls* I have my reasons.